Prayers for the Poor in the UK

Father Tim Jones created a bit of a stir over Christmas when he told his congregation that the poor should be permitted to shoplift when they have no where else to turn. Read his sermon and an article in response here. Please join us as we pray for the poor who are forced into desperate situations.

We pray for the poor in our communities. For the families on benefits, we pray you would provide for them, and where society says they are worth less because they do not work, would you show them how much you value them as sons and daughters of God.

We pray for the rough sleepers living on our streets. We pray for shelter for those people, for safety and warmth and good health. Jesus, you were born in a stable because you had no place to stay, so Lord we ask that rough sleepers would find permanent housing and get out of the cycle of poverty and homelessness.

We pray for those in prison, we pray you would comfort them and their families as they live apart. We pray they would not feel stigmatised because of their past, but that they would experience forgiveness and love. We pray for an easy return to society and that work and accommodation would be available for them.

We pray for the unemployed in the UK. We pray that they would be able to find work and would use their time well to learn new skills. We pray for positive contacts and that people would not lose hope or slide into poverty as a result. We pray that the unemployed would be able to support their families and would not just survive but thrive.

We pray for the systems in place in the UK to support those in poverty. We pray for the job centres that they would provide people with jobs that suit them and that can pay the bills. We pray for benefit providers, that they would dispense money efficiently and fairly. We pray for parole officers that you would inspire them as they help rehabilitated offenders and that they would be able to place them in the best place possible. We pray for our justice system that it would weight justice along with mercy. We don’t want people to be forced to shop lift as Father Tim Jones suggested, but we pray for open mindedness and understanding from society, rather than harsh punishments.

Esther Barlow, 15/02/2010